Saturday Xtreme Cheer event draws 800 to Palace

If attendance and participation count for anything, it’s safe to say the popularity of the Xtreme Corn Palace Cheer and Dance Challenge has grown quickly in its three years of existence.

More than 800 people flocked to the Corn Palace Saturday to watch teams from across the state participate in individual and ensemble dance and cheering competitions. Eight teams made their first appearances at the competition, a sign that the event and Xtreme teams in Mitchell are developing a reputation, according to Traci Loecker, the program owner and head coach.

“We’ve gotten really active as far as going to other competitions,” Loecker said. “The more we can get out there for coaches to see us, (the more it) makes them want to come to our competition.”

Last year’s competition featured 30 teams with 499 competitors. This year, the number jumped to 38 teams and 677 participants.

One dollar from each of the 841 tickets sold Saturday will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. The remaining funds will be used to purchase equipment for the squad, a task that could help with both the recruiting of new members and the morale of current members.

“Anytime we can help parents with having the girls in a program like this, it’s awesome,” Loecker said. “I know when (parents) are being positive at home because (cheerleaders) are coming to cheer with a positive attitude.”

Loecker said the competition is the only one that the team from Custer — located 316 miles from Mitchell — will attend. She’s encouraged by loyalty like Custer’s, as well as this year’s addition of the MDC Gen Cats, an all-adult cheer team that gave an exhibition performance Saturday afternoon.

The team’s performance brought an eruption of cheers and applause from fans, leading Loecker to say that she’d love to see an adult team form in Mitchell.

The Skyforce Skyleaders exhibition team also performed on Saturday.

For Loecker, the competitions offer a chance for girls, anywhere from preschool to college ages, a chance to learn self-esteem, confidence and maturity.

“Every girl in this industry learns responsibility and hard work,” Loecker said.

Following are the results from Saturday’s competition:

• Grand Champion Award: Champion Legacy Legends, Champion Legacy, Sioux Falls.

• Cheer individuals: Amy Walker, Champion Legacy, Sioux Falls, first; Quincee Goeller, Superstars, Huron, second; Julie Teslow, Champion Legacy, Sioux Falls, third. Other participants included Anna Boomsma, Dynamic Cheer and Dance, Brandon, and Brittni Nelson, Superstars, Huron.

• Stunt Team: Custer High School, first.

• Tiny Level 1: Dakota Spirit Sparks, Dakota Spirit Cheer, Sioux Falls, first; Universal Cheer Tiny , Universal Cheer and Dance, Brookings, second; Wildfire Cheer, KCK Wildfire, Brookings, third.

• Mini Level 1: Dakota Spirit Heat, Dakota Spirit Cheer, Sioux Falls, first; Dakota Spirit Intensity, Dakota Spirit Cheer, Sioux Falls, second; Dynamic Thunder, Dynamic Cheer and Dance, Brandon, third. Other competitors included MDC Lil Cats, MDC Wildcats, Sioux Falls; Titan Spirit Storm, Titan Spirit Cheer, Tea; Super Stars, Superstars, Huron; Universal Cheer Group Universal Cheer, Brookings; and Wildfire, KCK Wildfire, Brookings.

• Mini Level 2: Dakota Spirit Atomic, Dakota Spirit Cheer, Sioux Falls, first.

• Youth Level 1: Titan Spirit Cheer Lightning, Titan Spirit Cheer, Tea, first; Dakota Spirit Hotshots, Dakota Spirit, Sioux Falls, second. Xtreme Rec of Mitchell performed an exhibition.

• Youth Level 2: Champion Legacy Majestics, Champion Legacy, Sioux Falls, first; Dakota Spirit Fusion, Dakota Spirit Cheer, Sioux Falls, second; Wildfire Cheer, KCK Wildfire, Brookings, third. MDC Wildcats Purple, MDC Wildcats, Sioux Falls also participated. Xtreme Xplosion of Mitchell also participated in an exhibition performance.

• Junior Level 1: Dakota Spirit Inferno, Dakota Spirit Cheer, Sioux Falls, first.

• Junior Level 2: Dynamic Storm, Dynamic Cheer and Dance, Brandon, first; Superstars, Superstars, Huron, second; MDC Onyx, MDC Wildcats, Sioux Falls, third. Universal Cheer Juniors, Universal Cheer and Dance, Brookings, also competed.

• Junior Level 3: Champion Legacy Dynasty, Champion Legacy, Sioux Falls, first; Wildfire Cheer, KCK Wildfire, Sioux Falls, second.

• Senior Level 2: Titan Spirit Ice, Titan Spirit Cheer, Tea, first; Custer High School, Custer, second. Xtreme Elite, Mitchell, also participated in an exhibition performance.

• Senior Level 3: MDC Silver, MDC Wildcats, first.

• Senior Level 4: Champion Legacy Legends, Champion Legacy, Sioux Falls, first; MDC Metallic, MDC Wildcats, Sioux Falls, second.

• Dance Individuals: Allisa Kuhn, Dynamic Cheer and Dance, Brandon, first; Sierra Nelson, Champion Legacy, Sioux Falls, second; Emma Dorhout, Champion Legacy, Sioux Falls, third. Other competitors were Anna Boomsma, Makenzie Smith and Hannah Even, all of Dynamic Cheer and Dance, Brandon.

• Dance Ensembles: Amy Walker and Sierra Nelson, first; Madison Bills and Brooke Dornbusch, second. All are members of the Champion Legacy team of Sioux Falls.

• Dance Groups: The following teams received first place: Junior Open and Junior Hip-Hop, Britza Zeal, Sioux Falls; Youth Hip-Hop and Youth Pom, Dynamic Mini Eclipse, Brandon; Mini Pom, Dynamic Twilights, Brandon.

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